Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Elson
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Elson.
- Garden get-togethers
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Retirement celebrations
Paella catering near Elson
Paella catering for your event in Elson
There’s something generous about paella: huge pans, saffron colour and a toasted crust that everyone fights over. It turns a meal into an occasion. Whether it’s christenings and family gatherings and garden get-togethers, we’ll put together a menu of paella Valenciana, black rice and vegetable paella and more.
In a smaller place like Elson, a garden party is often the simplest option: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Tell us about access down the lane or drive. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it is ready.
Why choose live paella in Elson?
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and typically costs more per head. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Why book with us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- We cover Elson and the whole of Hampshire
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
See Our prices page And The cost guide.
Working with your venue
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
Perfect for your event in Elson
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Office lunches and staff parties
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Elson Infant School, can book us as a food stall.
What to look for in a quote
- How each diet is kept separate
- The deadline for final numbers
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Whether VAT is included
Should I cook it myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Step by step
We take care of the food from set-up to service, so you can enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. Around midsummer it stays light in Elson until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
How to prepare
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
Get a quote
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Related guides
Elson: your questions answered
Which station should guests use for Elson?
Portsmouth Harbour station, about 2.1 miles south-east of the centre.
What about events near the coast?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Is halal food available?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and we will cook a separate pan.
What is live paella catering?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
What happens if it rains?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Do you do desserts?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
Prices and what affects them
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- How many guests are eating
- Waiting and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
- Your choice of paellas
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Details that help
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- Where the event is
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Which courses you have in mind
- A picture of where we’d cook
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Diets, allergies and planning
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Count adults and children separately
- Put allergy details in writing
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we serve when guests are ready.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Space, weather and the venue
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space when you contact us. Generally, we look for:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Level ground for the pans and burners
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before booking.
On the menu in Elson
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
Planning live paella in Elson
Elson is about 1 mile north of Gosport, in Hampshire. For paella catering in Elson, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. We cater in 683 places in Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 13 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Portsmouth Harbour station is about 2.1 miles away. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Thomas, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Elson is within about 4 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
For paella catering in PO12 and PO13, we plan around your venue. We can cater an event on streets such as Ham Lane, Quay Lane and Avery Lane or the roads around them. You’ll find Elson on the A32, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. For events just outside Elson, we cover Gosport (1 mile south), Forton (1 mile south), Bridgemary (1 mile north-west), Priddy's Hard (1 mile south-east) and Rowner (1 mile north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Havant (8 miles north-east), Eastleigh (14 miles north-west), Fareham (3 miles north-west), Horndean (9 miles north-east), Hedge End (10 miles north-west) and Waterlooville (7 miles north-east).
A little further out are Search (1.6 miles south-east) and Portchester Castle (2.2 miles north-east). Not far away are West of the River Alver and Portsdown Hill.
- Schools near Elson include Brune Park Community School (0.5 miles south-west) and St Vincent College (1.1 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Kings Head pub (0.5 miles south-west)
Nearby places to Elson
Other catering in Elson
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff